


Sometimes Family is a Choice

by Lydia_E_Nheers



Category: Cabin Pressure
Genre: Angst, Carolyn is a mum, Episode: s04e04 Wokingham, Friendship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, MJN Air Is A Family, Martin Whump, Missing Scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-09
Updated: 2015-03-09
Packaged: 2018-03-17 00:58:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,504
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3509222
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lydia_E_Nheers/pseuds/Lydia_E_Nheers
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I've been thinking about it since I first heard Wokingham. What happens in the three hours after Arthur hangs up with Martin after telling him about his mum? And what causes Douglas to say "accident"? </p>
<p>How Martin fell apart briefly and his family picked him back up.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sometimes Family is a Choice

**Author's Note:**

> Again, Written on my phone. Not beta'd or britpicked. I hope you like it!

"Tell her I'll be there in three hours!" Martin hung up with Arthur and wrung his hands. "My mum. A heart attack. My mum. Oh. Oh my god." His face went a sickly white and his hands began shaking as he imagined all the various things that had happened and could happen. 

Carolyn and Douglas remained in shocked silence for a long moment. "Go and breathe." Douglas finally said quietly, and firmly, taking complete control without asking. "I'm fine in here." 

"No. No. I'm fine. I'm okay. I'm...I'm absolutely in control." His whole body began finely trembling and his knuckles turned white from gripping the controls so hard. Memories of his dad final few days flooded his mind and instantly he was in his father's sickroom in hospital, the chemical smell just barely masking the smell of fresh sick. Pill bottles scattered everywhere and machines constantly beeping, beeping, beeping. 

"You are not fine." Douglas cut through his thoughts like a blade. His voice remained calm and authoritative, it was soothing to Martin. "Go and sit for a bit. Then come back. Please. We don't need an accident." 

Carolyn didn't have the heart to point out that Douglas had said the word accident, which had more than one syllable. She touched his shoulder. "Come with me and I'll make you some tea." 

Martin stood up. "You...you have control" and if his voice cracked, neither Carolyn nor Douglas were going to point it out.

"I have control" Douglas agreed, and Carolyn gently guided Martin out to the galley. 

She made them each a cup of tea and sat him down in the second row in the empty cabin, thanking whatever deity that may be listening that there weren't any passengers onboard today. She pressed the hot cup into his hands and sat down next to him, taking a sip from her own. 

Martin just held his cup, not drinking it, but liking the warmth in his hands. He looked down at his shoes, so shiny, he could see himself in them. Not that that hid the scuffmarks around the edges from being his only pair of work and dress shoes for so long, but it was a matter of pride. Pride and superstition. If his shoes were shiny, his shirt was perfectly ironed and crease free (although too big for him, but that was neither here nor there) his hair with its unruly ginger curls was perfectly tamed, his epulets were perfectly straight, then nothing bad could happen. Everything would be okay if he was perfect. If he dressed perfectly, and memorized the manual exactly, he'd be okay. If he did all that, it would keep him safe. So why didn't that work now? He raised the cup to his lips, and thought better of it, bringing it back down. 

"That tea's not poisioned, you know." She said with a small smile. "Arthur didn't make it." 

"I know" he took a sip. It was piping hot, and strong enough to curl his eyelashes. But very good nonetheless. "Thank you."

"You're welcome" she took another sip of her own, and let silence fall again. 

"Is my mum going to be alright?" He asked very softly, and instantly her prissy, uptight captain was five years old. 

"I don't know" she answered honestly. Martin didn't need false optimism. Arthur would provide plenty of that. Though coming from Arthur, it would be anything but false. "But Arthur did say she didn't have a heart attack. So that's a positive sign"

"You don't know my mum though." Martin replied. "She hid the last six months of my dad's cancer from us. Because she didn't think we could handle it. Or because she didn't want to bother us with it. Or...I dunno." He used the folding tray to put the cup down and put his face into his hands, rubbing his eyes. 

"Maybe she didn't want to let you see him, and her suffering." Carolyn suggested quietly. 

"We found out when my sister Caitlyn went over to visit. We all knew he had prostate cancer, but mum kept telling us he was fine. She would go on and on about how well he was responding to the chemo and everything. And then one morning, Cat went over there before work. She brought them a tea I think. And...she...she saw just how poorly my dad really was." His voice thickened and he clenched his jaw. 

He couldn't believe he was telling all this to Carolyn of all people. But there was something about her solid, maternal presence next to him that made him feel if not at ease; comforted. He took a breath. "Our dad was dying and mum didn't tell us. Three weeks after that day, he was in hospital, and he never came out." He looked at the rapidly blurring floor as to his utter humiliation, he felt hot tears scalding his cheeks. 

"Martin" Carolyn reached out and began rubbing slow, comforting circles on Martin's back; reminded of all the times she did this for Arthur as he grew up, and still did when he was particularly sad. Which thank goodness was a very rare occasion. "I'm sorry that that happened. And I'm sorry that your mother handled it the way she did." 

Martin felt himself beginning to cry harder and he just let it come, unable to stop himself. He folded nearly in half, burying his face in his hands. Carolyn for her part, just kept rubbing his back and whispering "It's alright. It's alright Martin. Shhhh" 

"What if she dies, Carolyn?!" He demanded when he could speak, not looking at her. "What if she's worse than I think? What happens then?" 

Carolyn turned in her seat, put her cup down next to Martin's, took his shoulders in two firm hands and looked into his swimming green eyes. "If anything god forbid does happen, do you really think we will just abandon you to deal with it on your own? We'll be here. Me, Douglas and of course Arthur. We'll see you through it. We're all quite fond of you, you stupid boy" And with that, she wrapped him in a hug. 

She smelled of tea and of perfume and it was exactly what Martin needed. He grabbed her and held her in a tight grip as fresh tears came over him and he cried into her shoulder. 

When the storm passed, he finally calmed himself down and broke away, embarrassed. Carolyn merely patted his shoulder affectionately. "Better?"

"Yeah" Martin coughed. "Sorry." His face began turning red and she offered him a handkerchief. 

"Say no more about it." She gestured for him to keep the fabric square when he was done mopping his face with it. "Now go and fly the plane." They got to their feet and Carolyn took the cups of cold tea. "I said go." She gestured to the door, her voice as brisk and businesslike as usual, but Martin could detect the warmth beneath it. 

After popping into the loo to wash up, he quietly entered the flightdeck. He sat down without saying anything to Douglas, who he knew likely heard most of what was said in the cabin. Martin hadn't made any effort to be quiet. 

"Shall you take control captain? Or shall I keep it?" Douglas looked quickly over at his tired looking captain and noted the pale face, marked with blotchy cheeks and red eyes. 

"You have control" Martin answered and looked out the window. 

"Very good, Martin." Douglas flew in silence for about a minute before he said very quietly "Carolyn's right you know. If anything were to happen...We're here."

"I know. Thank you Douglas" he replied automatically. 

"You're welcome ." There was another long pause.

After about ten more minutes of complete silence, Martin spoke, looking over at him with a tired smile. "Dude, Where's my car? Silent Hill"

Douglas laughed a little. "Good one, captain."

By the time they were on the ground in Fitton, Martin was smiling for real. Douglas had done well at keeping up the banter once he saw Martin was looking for a distraction. But that small genuine smile was gone as soon as they landed. "Do you want me to come with you?" Douglas asked.

"No, thank you. But thank you for offering" Martin answered, nervousness in his voice, as the reality of what's happened hit him again.

"Well, go on. I'll take care of everything on here." 

"You sure?" Martin was already getting up. 

"Yes of course. Go and let us know when you know anything." Douglas shooed him out of the flightdeck. 

"Will do. Thank you!" He left the plane and ran for his car, passing Carolyn who held the door open for him on his way out. 

As he jumped in his van and started the ignition, Martin realized that while his mum and siblings were his blood family, and he loved them very much, MJN was his chosen family.

And sometimes that meant just as much.


End file.
